Firefly In The Elysian Fields
by Lady Grizabella
Summary: When Setsuna is killed, Hotaru sets out on a journey to bring her back, with Haruka and Michiru on her heels. Rated for some violence and death.
1. One

I've been wanting to post this for some time, but I was afraid I wouldn't finish it, so I haven't. However, I thought it was interesting, so I figured I would give it a go. I bring you, "Firefly In The Elysian Fields". And yes, Hotaru is the main character. Odd for me! 

Here is a cover drawing for this story. It's been on my website for awhile now, but it finally has a story to go with it: http://www.angelfire.com/anime4/setsuna_meioh/images/outers_elysian_fields.jpg

Hope you enjoy it, and I hope that I finish it!

~Lady Grizabella

setsuna_haruka_michiru@yahoo.com

http://www.angelfire.com/mi3/ladygrizdrawings/sailor_moon.html

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Firefly In The Elysian Fields

***

Setsuna didn't come home that night. 

Michiru knew something was wrong. She sat by the window, her mirror clutched in her hand. Feeling a presence at the door, she sighed deeply. "Haruka...what did the girls say?"

Haruka shook her head and leaned one arm against the doorway. "They haven't seen her all night. She didn't go to visit any of them."

"She wouldn't have, anyway. She hardly even talks." Michiru frowned at her mirror. "But then why isn't she answering her communicator, and why can't I see her in the mirror?"

"Maybe there's some distortion from the Time Gates. Maybe she had to stay late and she can't contact us. We'll hear her portal open in the next room any minute, I'm sure." Haruka looked at the clock. "It's nearly two in the morning. Try to remember that she's a big girl, love." She sunk down on the bed, exhausted after a busy day.

Michiru smiled. "I know she is. But she's never had anyone to look after her, so I figure _someone_ has to do it." 

Haruka gave a great yawn and flopped onto her back. "Maybe _she's_ the one looking after _you_." 

"You think so?"

The raise of an eyebrow. "Or, better yet, maybe she's seeing someone."

"Do you think? I've never seen her with a boy, but maybe you're right. And here I thought she might end up like us in terms of romantic interest." Michiru gave Haruka a saucy grin.

Haruka waggled her eyebrows. "I can only hope."

Michiru threw a nearby pillow at her lover and took another glance out the window. "But the sea is so rough."

"Mmm." Haruka was already on her way to sleep.

Michiru set aside her mirror and started to undress for bed, trusting her bad feelings would be gone with the light of morning.

Michiru stirred slightly and slowly moved her hand to Haruka's arm. She blinked her eyes heavily, completely groggy, before she suddenly tightened her grip, clutching Haruka's arm like a vice. Haruka yelped slightly, but Michiru muttered between her teeth, "There's someone in the room!"

Haruka sat up and reached out an arm protectively in front of Michiru. "Who's there!"

"A terrible scuffle," whispered a small voice.

Michiru relaxed. "Hotaru. Sweetie, don't stand in the shadows like that."

Haruka furrowed her brow. "Hotaru, are you all right? Did you have a nightmare?"

The young girl stepped out of the shadows, and it became apparent that her eyes were filled with tears. She was very pale and she was shaking visibly. "A terrible scuffle," she repeated. 

"Tell us what you mean," Haruka said firmly. Hotaru was not easy to upset, so she was to be taken very seriously.

Hotaru trembled. "I saw it in my head. An evil man came through the Gate. Pluto fought hard. The man did too, but Pluto blasted him to pieces. He died. But not before he slashed hard and Pluto fell." 

Michiru and Haruka watched in horror, not fully comprehending Hotaru's chilling words. She could be downright spooky at times. "...What are you saying?" Michiru whispered.

Hotaru continued, in a trance-like state. "Blood spilled forth. She screamed. But she couldn't move to contact us." Once this was said, the girl let her tears spill forth in a series of hysterical sobs.

Haruka finally managed to rise and she embraced the child hard. "And you're sure it wasn't just a dream. A dream, not a vision?"

"Setsuna!" sobbed Hotaru.

Michiru grasped her mirror and said sharply, "Show me Setsuna." The mirror held no clues. "SHOW ME!" Michiru screamed and raised the mirror as if to dash it against the wall in rare frustrated anger. Hotaru whimpered and buried her face against Haruka's neck.

Haruka moved from Hotaru and grabbed Michiru's arm before she could act. "I've never known you to have such a temper," Haruka said softly, gently pulling the mirror from Michiru's white-knuckled grip. "Let's get to the bottom of this before we panic."

"I've had enough!" cried Michiru. "I've had enough of fighting and death!" She turned on her two housemates. "Don't you see? We've finally been given the chance to live a normal life! Our dearest friend is not supposed to be killed! Haruka..." She buried her face in her hands. "I've been strong and willing to make sacrifices for so long. I just can't do it anymore."

Haruka held Hotaru and rocked her gently. "I can't either, Michi. I'm at the end of my strength. But if she's alive there...we have to go see if we can help her. She may not be dead." She looked down at the top of the child's head. "Hotaru. Are you sure of what you saw?"

Hotaru sniffled, clutching tightly to Haruka. "I don't know. I just saw her screaming, and the blood..."

"Shh...it's okay." Haruka looked at Michiru. "We have to build up our strength again to do this."

Michiru scraped her fingers over the top of the nearby dresser. "I hate that infernal Time Gate! I've wanted her to be done with that for ages, and it eventually claimed her life, I know it! That Gate has always destroyed her life in one way or another, and it finally killed her." She sighed shakily, pulling herself together. Haruka could hardly hear her when she whispered, "Let's go find her."

Haruka settled Hotaru on the bed. "Sweetheart, you stay here. We'll go see if we can find Setsuna."

Hotaru shook her head. "Please, no. I want to come too. I _need_ to come too." 

Haruka looked at Michiru, and Michiru nodded. "She may as well. She's seen as much death as the rest of us, maybe more. Besides, we may need her healing abilities."

Haruka hesitated, but then lifted Hotaru into her arms. Haruka noted that Hotaru was painfully light for an eleven-year-old, and too thin. She wondered what the loss of Hotaru's main mother figure would do to her health, both mental and physical. The child rested her head on Haruka's shoulder and wrapped her arms around Haruka's neck. "Please hurry, Ruka."

Haruka looked to Michiru. "How can we get to the Gates? We need someone who has power over time control."

Michiru forced herself to stand. "Do you think maybe Usagi could help? I don't know what all the Silver Crystal is capable of."

"Chibi-Usa," murmured Hotaru. "She has a time key that Suna gave her." The child choked up as she mentioned Setsuna's name.

"Good thinking," said Haruka. "We'll have to go to Usagi's and see if we can borrow Chibi-Usa's key."


	2. Two

Haruka, transformed into Sailor Uranus, and leapt up onto Usagi's windowsill. Sailors Neptune and Saturn waited in the front yard, in the shadows. No use in all of them tramping into Usagi's bedroom at three in the morning.

Uranus knocked on Usagi's window and prayed that the odangoed blonde would wake up. 

Usagi moved slightly and opened her eyes. There was a shape at the window. "Ahh!" she cried out, and sat up. "Mamo-chan?"

Uranus motioned for her to open the window.

Usagi realized who it was. "Uranus? What's going on?" Instantly alarmed, she slid open the window. She shivered slightly in the air that was starting to develop an autumn chill. "Is everything all right? What's going on, Uranus?"

Uranus stepped onto the carpet and made a motion as if to shove her hands into her pockets, but naturally she had none. It was a helpless sort of gesture. "We have a problem, Usa. Do you know where Chibi-Usa keeps her time key?"

Usagi was startled. "I think she keeps it with some mementos of the 30th Century, in her dresser drawer."

Uranus nodded, looking around the room in a distracted way. "Is there any way we could borrow it without waking her up? If she knows why we need it, she'll want to come too, and...we don't want her seeing what we might find there. We don't even want Saturn with us, but we feel she has a right."

Usagi took Uranus's hand. "You're scaring me, Haruka. What's going on? Please tell me!" She paused. "It's Pluto, isn't it? She's still hasn't come home. Something bad has happened."

"Yes, something very bad." Uranus kept her voice calm, but her teary eyes betrayed her feelings. "Please...we need the key."

Usagi wasted no time in heading up to Chibi-Usa's attic bedroom. When she returned, she held an ornate silver key, small, but stately. Uranus noted how Pluto-like it seemed, and a lump rose in her throat. She could hardly manage a thank you as she took the key.

"Uranus, I'm coming with you." Usagi lifted her transformation broach from the dresser. "I want to be there for you and Neptune, and Saturn."

Uranus shook her head. "We must do this by ourselves. It could be violent, Usa. You can't..." She stopped and sighed. "You can come." Why argue? There was no dissuading the stubborn Usagi, anyway. 

***

Out on the lawn again, hidden in the shadows of the house, Uranus once again lifted Saturn into her arms. "We must be brave, no matter what we find at the Gates."

Neptune nodded and took Uranus's hand, and then Eternal Sailor Moon's. "Let's bring her home." 

Sailor Moon squeezed Neptune's hand and held up the small key. "Do you know how the keys work? Did Setsuna ever tell you?"

Neptune shook her head, blinking back tears. "Not in detail. Just ask it to take us to the Time Gates."

"That's pretty much what Chibi-Usa does," said Sailor Moon. Then addressing the key: "Crystal Key! Please take us to the Gates of Time!" The four were suddenly surrounded by a vivid pink light, and they felt their feet leave the ground. They were then shooting upwards into the sky, towards the dark time portal that awaited them.


	3. Three

Once her feet were securely on the floor again, Uranus set Saturn down and pushed the girl behind her. "Stay back. I don't know what we'll find here."

Saturn took Neptune's hand and said softly, "It's dead. Everything here is dead."

Neptune shook with nerves as she peered through the heavy mists. "I hate this place. I've always hated it. I'd take a trip to hell and back if it would bring back Setsuna. And then I'd find a way to seal up this Gate for all eternity!"

Uranus nodded, showing that she agreed. 

It was slow progress towards the door, which loomed ahead. Uranus kept one arm extended in front of Neptune, Saturn, and Sailor Moon, in case of a sudden blow or attack. Finally, they reached the front of the Gates and stopped. Everything was silent. "It's locked up tight," said Uranus, examining the door. "And I don't see Pluto anywhere."

"Something's sticky under my feet," Sailor Moon suddenly remarked, looking down. The mists concealed the ground from immediate view, but there was definitely a tacky substance.

Saturn covered her mouth with realization, and started to scream. Neptune immediately jerked Saturn practically off her feet as the mists cleared, and fell backwards with her, away from the puddles on the ground. "God!" screamed Neptune, "Blood!"

They had been standing in sticky, drying blood. The floor in front of the door was covered in it. Uranus leapt out of the way in horror, pulling Sailor Moon by one arm. "A bloodbath..." she muttered, shaking with horror.

"But where's her body?" cried Sailor Moon.

"We can't even have a funeral for her! We can't even grieve properly!" This came from Neptune.

Saturn let out shriek after shriek. Her calm had finally broken.

"Get her out of here!" yelled Uranus. "It was a mistake to bring her!"

Saturn scrambled to her feet and ran through the mists. "Bring her back! Please bring her back!" she cried, her words echoing oddly in the dead space. She ignored Neptune's cries for her to stop running. She ran through time, not caring where she ended up. She had lost one mother once, a mother she hardly remembered. She couldn't loose another. Saturn only stopped running when she tripped and fell onto the hard misty ground, and there she lay, wishing she could go wherever Setsuna was.

***

Hotaru woke up with a jerk and yelled out. "Shh..it's all right," spoke a familiar voice. Michiru was beside her in Hotaru's bed. They were at home.

"How did we get here?" Hotaru asked. "Where's Ruka, and Usagi?"

Michiru brushed Hotaru's bangs off her forehead. "Usagi is home. She's preparing to tell the other girls. And Haruka is sleeping. She was so afraid that she had driven you mad by taking you to the Gates, that she went a little mad herself. I'm letting her have some time alone. And I wanted to be with you."

"But I ran so far. How did you find me?" Hotaru curled up tight next to Michiru.

"We found this." Michiru lifted something from her side of the bed. It was Pluto's Time Staff. "This was all we could find of her..." She swallowed over the huge lump in her throat. "...But even in death she looks out for you. We took the Garnet Orb off the top and it floated right to you, leading us." Michiru hugged Hotaru tightly. "She loved you so much, Taru. She wouldn't have left you for anything in the world. You know, we could hardly keep her off you when you were a baby." Michiru laughed through tears. "She pretended to be inconvenienced when we left her alone to watch you, but we have so many pictures of her on her back with you balanced on her knees, bouncing you while you giggled. She played with you constantly once she figured out you wouldn't break. I think she loved you more than life itself." 

Hotaru swallowed. "I know she did."

Michiru gave a shuddering sigh and sat up. "Would you like something to eat? You need to keep your strength up. I could make you some noodles."

"That sounds good." Once Michiru left the room, Hotaru sat up and hugged her pillow. She murmured, practically under her breath, "I know how much she loved me. That's why I can't just let her die. This isn't how the story ends." 

By the time Michiru called her to eat, Hotaru had made a drastic and impossible decision: Somehow, she was going to find Setsuna.


	4. Four

Late that night, Hotaru stood by her window, staring out. She couldn't decide how to go about her impossible plan. She didn't even know where she was going. "Maybe I should get Ruka and Michi to help me." But as she looked around her room hopelessly, she knew that wouldn't work. Adults didn't always understand things the way children did, and they might try to stop her. "I'm a Sailor Soldier, and I'm old enough to make up my own mind!" she decided. She did, however, think it would be a nice gesture to leave a note. Otherwise, her family would worry. She pulled out a slip of paper and started a note to her adopted parents. 

__

Dear Haruka-Papa and Michiru-Mama,

I've gone to find Setsuna-Mama. I'm not sure where I'm going or how I'll do it, but I promise I'll bring her home so we can all be a family again. Should be back before supper.

Much Love,

Taru

Hotaru nodded as she looked over her note. She was satisfied that anything could be accomplished before supper. But she figured she had better get a move on. Setsuna would be missing them and waiting for someone to come find her. What if she was lost and couldn't find her way home? She needed Hotaru.

Hotaru lifted Setsuna's Time Staff and pulled the Garnet Orb off the top. The red jewel twinkled merrily in the light from her firefly-shaped nightlight. "Even if she is dead," Hotaru whispered, blinking back tears, "there's always a way around it. I, as the soldier of death, should know this. And so do you, don't you? You know where Setsuna is. Please help me find her?" She dragged her schoolbag out of the closet and dropped the talisman inside it. She then reached out her hand and summoned her glaive to her grasp. "I may need this." She slipped on her shoes and her warm black and violet sweater and headed through the silent house.

Anyone driving down the street that night would have received a very strange picture - a young girl, small for her age, and oddly enough carrying a very large and dangerous looking scythe, walking down the street at two o'clock in the morning. Strange. Then again, this was Tokyo. Hotaru didn't take into account how funny she looked, as she was so focused on her objective. Upon leaving the house, she had decided to head in the direction of the park, as that seemed to be a supernatural breeding ground. Chibi-Usa often departed for the 30th Century from the park, so it seemed like a good starting place.

Once at the park, Hotaru stood in the very center and squatted down, pulling the Garnet Orb out of her bag. She hugged it, and rested her cheek against the globe, surprised that it was warm and not cold as she had expected. "Give me a clue, please!"

She suddenly felt a rough hand grasp her arm and she was spun around, causing her to loose her balance and land hard on her bottom. A large man hovered over her and he shook her by the arm. "Tell me where it is! Tell me!" he yelled at her. He smelled of alcohol and he was very unkempt as if he might have been homeless, and he was obviously quite confused. "TELL ME!"

Hotaru, terrified of the dark stranger, screamed loudly and thrashed. The man held onto her arm relentlessly, his nails digging through the material of her sweater. As she tried to pull away, the sign of Saturn flared up on her forehead and she closed her eyes hard, screaming at the top of her lungs. The man was hit by the resulting heavy power blast, which lifted him and sent him crashing into a heap some yards away. When he lifted his head again, he was confronted by a very vicious-looking little girl who was pointing a sharp scythe at him. He cowered in sudden terror. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" screamed Hotaru, before she disappeared in a flash of garnet light. 


	5. Five

Hotaru landed in the grass on her stomach. She lay for a moment, stunned, before she pushed herself up in a panic and felt around wildly in the dim light for the Garnet Orb. She brought her hand down upon it and hugged it to her chest. "Thank goodness. I thought I'd lost you." She looked at the dim, drab landscape. "Where am I?" She felt tears spring to her eyes from fear of the unknown, and she clutched the Orb tighter. After a moment she shook her head. "Stop it, Hotaru! Don't be a baby!" She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, sucked back her fear, and placed the Orb back into her bookbag for safekeeping. She lifted her Glaive from where it had fallen next to her and stood, digging her toe into the dry earth. "Which way?"

She suddenly noticed a figure walking in the distance. She immediately opened her mouth, but snapped it closed in a hurry. She remembered the man who had accosted her in the park, and having already had a bad experience with a stranger that night, she was hesitant. She tightened her grip on the Glaive. 

Finally, worried about missing her chance, she crept up behind the figure. "Excuse me…"

The figure turned and Hotaru was face to face with a shadowy specter, mouth agape in a silent scream. It reached towards her. 

Startled, Hotaru took a step backwards, brandishing her Glaive. She felt coldness seep into her bones and she reeled around to discover another one behind her. She let out a breathy scream and turned again to face yet another ghost-like figure to her left. Even through her fear as eleven-year-old Hotaru, her instincts as Sailor Saturn kicked in hard. She crouched down in one smooth movement and swung her Glaive over her head. The blade cut through the shadows, and although it seemed to stun them for a moment, they advanced on her again and reached towards her in fascination. She leapt to her feet and prepared to bolt, but she ran into something solid. She made a surprised whimper.

She was held in a strong but gentle grip, and a cool hand was placed over her forehead. She closed her eyes, trembling, waiting for the worst. She felt immobilized.

Then the hand was taken away, and Hotaru looked up into the face of a woman. She blinked. "Who are you?"

The woman seemed neither old nor young to Hotaru, but she had a wise and ancient quality about her. "Do not fear, child of the stars. I am here to help you."

Hotaru studied the woman for a moment, calculating. She then solemnly offered the woman her hand.

***

Not long after, Hotaru and the woman were walking along the dusty path together, Hotaru's hand in hers. The child gazed at the barren landscape, and at the dim shadows that were sometimes seen in the distance. She kept silent, but only looked up gravely at her companion from time to time. 

The woman kept her eyes lowered on the path ahead of them. "I am called the Sibyl of Cumae," she said. 

Hotaru bowed her head in respect and finally spoke. "Sibyl-Sempai? Who are they?" She nodded towards the others.

"They are the souls awaiting passage across the river."

Hotaru started and almost stumbled. She was in the Underworld. Michiru's words came flying back to her with a jolt. 'I'd take a trip to Hell and back…' Hotaru was shocked to realize that she had practically done just that. She forced herself to push this thought aside. "Are the souls vicious? They reached for me." She couldn't bear to think of Setsuna being one of those ghosts.

"They were fascinated with the mark on your forehead. It sets you apart from the others."

"The mark?" She suddenly noticed the soft violet glow that radiated above her eyes. The sign of Saturn had not faded away since she had arrived.

"You are also still living, which is rare here, and coveted. The dead cling to life."

Hotaru held tighter to the Sibyl's hand. "Do you know why I'm here?"

The woman gave a slow, grave nod. "You possess the blessing of the planet Saturn. However, you are being ruled by Pluto. That planet is controlling your movements through this world – the planet of your mother."

Hotaru suddenly stopped and stared off into the darkness. "You know where she is. You're going to take me to her."

The Sibyl bowed her head and answered with an air of sadness. "I am afraid I do not know where she is, or if she can be found. I can only help you across the river. Your best tool will be the talisman you carry in your bag."

Hotaru reeled from the initial disappointment of having to travel alone on the other side of a great river, but the thought of finding Setsuna pushed aside her fear. "I understand, Sibyl-Sempai."

***

Not long after the sun rose over Tokyo, Michiru was busy pacing around the kitchen, Hotaru's note clutched in her fist. "I don't like it, Haruka! I know she's grieving and she needs space, but I don't like the idea of her out there alone. She must have left before it was even light out! It can be dangerous out there! And this crazy idea of finding Setsuna? Where does she think she's going to look? Setsuna is _dead_. She's dead and gone!" Michiru's voice broke and she collapsed into a chair, her face buried in her hands. "I can hardly stand it. How can we expect an eleven-year-old girl to handle it?"

"But she shouldn't be lost in this fantasy," whispered Haruka. "We all loved Setsuna so much, but we can't pretend she's coming back." She rubbed Michiru's back. "I'll contact Hotaru on her communicator. I'll tell her to come home and we can all get through this together."

"I'd feel better if you did that." Michiru wiped her eyes. "I want to be with Hotaru."

***

Hotaru stood staring at the dark river. There were others waiting nearby for the boat that would take them across, and still more on the banks, stranded with nowhere to go. Sibyl-Sempai had told her that those people had not been buried, and they had no passage, which consisted of a gold coin held under the tongue. Hotaru was very aware that she didn't have one of those coins, so she felt dead in the water, so to speak. She stood bleakly on the riverbank, hoping nothing would come near her.

Her communicator suddenly blared to life. Slightly irritated at the interruption, she pressed the button rather harder than she needed to. "Saturn here."

"Hotaru, where are you? You look and sound fuzzy."

She wasn't sure exactly how to explain things so Haruka would understand, so she simply said, "I'm in the Underworld looking for Suna. Once I find her we'll come right back home."

Haruka sighed. "Hotaru, this isn't the time to play pretend!" 

Hotaru wrinkled her forehead. "I'm not playing pretend. I'm in the Underworld and I'm traveling with a woman named Sibyl-Sempai. I'm about to cross a river, and dead people are all around me."

"Stop it!" Haruka's voice was sharp, and held fear. "Come home right now! Whatever you're doing isn't healthy. You have to understand that Setsuna is gone. It's awful and it's not fair, but it's how things are!" 

Hotaru started to slowly shake her head. "No…"

Haruka had taken on a very defeated look. "Please come home. You need to be with your family now."

Hotaru's eyes welled up with angry tears. "Setsuna _is_ our family! I'm here to find her, and if you don't care that she's gone, that's _fine_. I don't need your help! I'm fine on my own!"

"Hotaru!"

Hotaru scrunched up her face before she could burst into sobs, and clicked off the communicator. She took it off her wrist and let it fall into the bag next to the Garnet Orb. She could find Setsuna without their help.

***

Haruka shut off her communicator and tried to discretely wipe her eyes with the back of her hand. She then turned to Michiru. "Why do I always have to be the bad guy?" she asked, her voice thick.

Michiru was staring into her mirror, a look of deep reservation on her face. "Haruka…I don't think she was pretending. We know Hotaru is alive, yet I can't find her in the mirror. If she was anywhere on Earth, we should be able to see her clearly. All I see are shadows." Michiru looked up at her partner, her lip trembling slightly. "Hotaru is no longer on the surface of the planet."

Haruka shook her head. "What you're asking me to believe is completely preposterous. It's hard to imagine that such a place could even exist. It's all pure speculation."

"But if such a place did exist outside of myth, is it so preposterous that Sailor Saturn would be the one to find it?"

Haruka's eyes narrowed as she processed this thought. Finally she looked at Michiru. "Do you still have Chibi-Usa's time key?"


	6. Six

Hotaru was still staring across the river pensively when the Sibyl placed a hand on her shoulder. "It is nearly time to board the boat." Sure enough, a small boat was sliding across the dark water, being ferried by an equally dark figure. 

Hotaru swallowed uncomfortably. "I don't have a coin. What happens when the ferryman looks in my mouth?" The very thought of a man in a black cloak peering into her mouth made her shiver visibly, but she tried very hard not to be afraid. She then noticed that the Sibyl was holding something. "What is it, Sibyl-Sempai?"

The Sibyl knelt in front of the child and held out a bright golden branch to her. Hotaru was momentarily dazzled and her eyes widened. The unburied souls on the bank looked at the branch hungrily, which made Hotaru creep closer to the Sibyl. 

"Listen carefully, child of the stars," said the Sibyl, pressing the bough into Hotaru's hand. "Charon the ferryman will look for the coin, but you must show no fear when he doesn't find it. Give him the Golden Bough and he will not refuse you passage."

Hotaru looked up to see the boat come to rest against the bank. She gulped. A very large part of her wanted to turn back and run to Michiru's arms. 

"This part is also important," the Sibyl continued. "Take this cake and when you reach the other bank, feed it to Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guards the path. It contains drugs that will put him to sleep to allow you to pass. You must move quickly and show no fear. I believe your garnet talisman will guide you from there."

Hotaru reluctantly willed her Glaive away so as to hold the cake in one hand and the Golden Bough in the other. "I'll do everything you say. I'm not afraid." This was a lie. "I'm not afraid," she repeated.

The Sibyl leaned forward and kissed the child on the forehead. "You're full of courage, child of the stars. Your mother would have been proud of you. May you find her safely."

Hotaru threw her arms around the Sibyl and relished in the warmth and comfort that radiated from the woman. "Thank you." 

She then straightened and slowly moved towards the gathering of souls as they approached the boat. She couldn't yet see the face of the ferryman, but she trembled from head to toe. She had to work not to crush the cake she held in her hand. She wanted to turn and run back to the Sybil and the protection of the riverbank, but the ghosts were herding her towards the boat. She tried hard to believe she was brave, but she eventually cried out, frantic terror overwhelming her as she was pushed along. "Sybil-Sempai!"

"Have faith, child." Hotaru could not see her friend through the mass of souls, but the Sybil's voice brought her comfort. "Use your mother's talisman."

Hotaru set her jaw and faced the dark ferryman. She lifted her chin and awaited her turn as bravely as she could. 

The souls gradually stopped pushing as they fell into a line, and each stepped up to Charon the ferryman. Hotaru remembered vaguely that the planet Pluto had a moon called Charon, and it was also the name of Setsuna's home castle. She figured this man couldn't be all bad, as he was so associated with Pluto. She stood in the line with the others, resolving to give it her all. 

As each soul stood in front of Charon, they obediently opened their mouths and let the ferryman take a golden coin from beneath their tongue. Those that had no coin were sent away and made to stand on the bank in misery with those whom had not been buried on earth. She wondered what she would do if Charon denied her offering of the Bough. She wasn't sure if she would be able to swim across the river. She had never been very strong. 

Hotaru squinted as the bright light from a lantern was cast across her face. Her stomach gave a lurch as she realized it was her turn. She gazed up into the face of a skeletal, ancient old man with a scraggly beard and dark, dead eyes. The lantern he held had a greenish tint that made his sunken cheeks appear even more skull-like. Hotaru found she couldn't speak; could barely breathe. 

Silently, Charon lifted one pale, bony hand and pulled down Hotaru's chin, opening her mouth. Hotaru, trembling, lifted her tongue to reveal her lack of a gold coin.

Charon took his hand away from her chin and gave her a shove out of the line, ready to move onto the next soul. Panicked, Hotaru found her voice. "Wait!" She boldly grabbed hold of Charon's filthy black robe and gave a tug. 

He looked down at her, his eyes blank. 

"Here!" Hotaru thrust the Golden Bough up at him, desperation written all over her.

The dead eyes suddenly took on a spark of light as he reached out and took the branch. They stood in silence for several seconds before Charon lifted Hotaru's bangs and gazed at the violet light that radiated from the child's forehead. When he finally spoke, his voice was raspy from little use. "What are you?"

Hotaru peered up at him from under his bony hand. "I'm Saturn."

Charon took his hand away and let her bangs fall. He made a slight nod. "Get in the boat." The light in his eyes had gone out again, but Hotaru couldn't help but give him a small smile as she tiptoed past and climbed into the boat.

***

Uranus fell hard on her knees as she toppled out of the Time Portal. Neptune followed a minute later, landing rather unceremoniously on her behind. Uranus had to crack a smile at her ruffled lover, who was brushing off her sailor uniform in irritation. "I do not like the Time Gate, and I do _not_ like Time Portals!"

Uranus helped Neptune up and looked around in confusion. "Is this the Underworld?"

Neptune's hair flew around wildly as a sudden wind blew around them. "I don't know. We're on some kind of cliff."

They appeared to be near the edge of a very large chasm, from which a red glow radiated, and great winds burst forth from time to time. There were mountain ranges around them, but barren flat land behind them. Neptune shivered. "This isn't good, Uranus. Do you have any idea where we are? My mirror is just shadowed, revealing nothing. It's not being very helpful."

Uranus looked aside and muttered under her breath, "What can you expect when you're using a mirror as a weapon, I mean, really…"

Neptune gave her a sideways glance. "I heard that."

Uranus moved a little closer to the chasm. "Maybe we're supposed to go down there. Do you think Hotaru is in there?"

Neptune shook her head. "Oh, I hope not! I can't picture Hotaru being under the earth like that, down in a pit. I just can't!" 

Uranus rested her hands on Neptune's shoulders. "We have to go down. We have to find Hotaru. And…and Setsuna."

Neptune gazed up at her lover. "Do you really expect to find Suna? I miss her so much. If we could just-"

Uranus shook her head, interrupting her. "No, I don't. But for Hotaru's sake, I have to believe. I don't know if we can get Hotaru to leave this place without her. We have to believe like we've never believed before, Michiru."

Neptune nodded just as a blast of air erupted from the chasm. The air swirled around them and seemed to carry a high-pitched voice, almost like a child's. "Haruuuukaaaaa…Michiiiiiiruuu…" It chanted in a singsong voice. "Come play with meeeeeee."

Uranus shuddered. "Creepy."

"What do you think it is?" Neptune whispered.

Uranus didn't have time to answer. The ground started to vibrate violently beneath their feet, as if a large earthquake had just started, and both soldiers were flung to the ground.

"Uranus!" screamed Neptune as she was dragged closer and closer to the chasm by the force of the vibrating earth. 

"Neptune! Grab my hand!" Uranus threw herself onto her stomach and managed to grab Neptune's hand just as she was tossed over the side. Uranus grasped the dull grass beneath her and held on in vain as the ground twisted beneath her. "We have to go down, Neptune! It seems to be the only way."

"Uranus, no!"

"I can't hold on! Be brave, Michi! Whatever happens, I'm with you!" Uranus's grasp gave way and she and Neptune went plummeting into the chasm, falling towards the unknown.


	7. Seven

Sitting in the boat, Hotaru had been looking straight ahead into the gloomy darkness, very much focused on her task. She missed the Sibil dreadfully, even though she had only known the woman for a few hours at the most, but her loss was great in Hotaru's mind. She held her schoolbag on her lap, clutching the handles tightly as if to better protect the Garnet Orb inside. The cake for Cerberus was sitting directly on top of the bag, ready to be eaten. Hotaru had let it lie there, as her hot hands threatened to melt it into nothing. She had nothing to do now but wait. Yet Hotaru could not forget one very important fact: She didn't much like big dogs. 

After staring at nothing for so long, it was a shock for the girl to suddenly realize that the ceiling was coming down upon her. She drew in air sharply and jumped before letting herself relax. The ceiling was not falling – just getting lower. Hotaru set aside her bag, drew herself up onto her knees and placed her hands on the side of the boat railing. She peered around Charon, who was in the front of the boat, propelling it through the water with a long stick, and looked around with interest. 

She was shocked at the knowledge that there really was a ceiling of rock overhead, and probably had been the whole time. She just hadn't noticed it before, as it was too dark and high-up. They must have been in a huge cavern. Now that the rock ceiling was growing lower and lower, she realized that they were coming to a dead end up ahead – a solid wall of rock. Hotaru immediately felt claustrophobic and wished someone would hold her hand. One Halloween, she had gone to a haunted house that consisted mostly of a maze, pitch black, which she had had to find her way though with the possibility that something could have leapt out at her. She had pressed her hands to the wall, trying desperately to find her way, while other children shoved into her and pinned her to the wall in their own terror. She had wanted her father then, and she wanted one of her mothers now. She was infinitely grateful for the faint light coming from Charon's lantern. 

Just when the ceiling was so low she figured the rock would press down and smother them all, the boat ran aground. She had closed her eyes to keep out the vision of the low ceiling, but now she opened them expectantly. The light from the lantern cast dim green light across the rock wall, which at second glance was not all rock. There was a door, made out of plain, rough wood. Hotaru blinked and lifted up the cake and her bag. She would have to get through the door in order to continue. She would follow the others and hope for the best.

Before she had time for further examination, Charon had snatched her under the arms and lifted her from the boat. Deposited on the ground, she couldn't help but notice the piles of bones that lay around the door. 'I wonder if any of them are human?' she thought. 'Surely they don't kill little girls.' She also noticed the claw marks imbedded in the huge door - slashes as long as her arm. "Oh dear," she muttered. 

When the last of the souls were out of the boat, Charon once again took up his stick and shoved away from the shore. Hotaru watched until she heard the creak of hinges. The door was opening. 'Now's my chance!' she thought. 'I'll just run through the door and then I'll be on the other side and done with it!' 

She took off at a run, shoving by the slow moving souls, hurdling towards the door. She was so intent on getting through that she didn't even know what hit her. She was almost to the door when something heavy and furry slammed into her side, bruising her ribs. She flew a good ten feet through the air and landed on her back. Panicked and in pain, Hotaru opened her eyes to find the heads of what appeared to be three elephant-sized dogs, all of them baring their teeth at her. She lay on her back, trembling, terrified sobs making her choke. She was paralyzed. 

The dogs continued to bare their teeth for a moment, but then they closed their mouths and sniffed the air. They sniffed each other and then sniffed Hotaru herself. Hotaru didn't dare move, even when a giant paw started to prod her legs with interest. As two paws came to rest on either side of her, she realized that it really was just one dog with three heads. A dragon's tail swished from side to side behind it. "Nice…p..puppy," Hotaru said, feeling every inch a tiny girl, and slowly lifted the hand that held the cake. She fought back a cry as one of the heads became very interested in what she held and started to lap at her hand with a two-foot long tongue. She forced her other hand to move and she broke the cake into three parts. "Yum," she said, trying to smile.

The dog didn't hesitate. Each head quickly lapped up its piece of the cake and started to nuzzle Hotaru and lick her face. Despite how wet and sticky it was, it made Hotaru want to laugh despite herself. After all, it wasn't the dog's fault it had to guard the door with nothing but empty souls for company. It probably just wasn't used to children. 

Still, just to be safe, Hotaru lay on the ground, not really wanting to move until the dog was asleep. Fortunately, she didn't have to wait very long. By the time the dog was done licking each of its chops, its eyes were heavy. Not five minutes later, it gave a little whimper and started to fall, fast asleep.

"Eeek!" Hotaru cried and rolled to the right in a hurry, narrowly escaping being laid upon. She rested on her stomach for a moment, staring at the sleeping dog, before retrieving her schoolbag from where it had fallen earlier and making tracks through the door. Once through, she used all her strength to slam the door behind her. She leaned against the back of the door, breathing heavily. "That _must_ have shortened my life by at least several years!" she panted.

~*~

Haruka woke with a start. "NEP-!" she cried, before realizing that she was no longer falling, but lying face down on a hard bolder. She thrashed frantically before letting her cheek rest on the bolder, her eyes falling closed again. She ached all over, as if she hadn't exactly been distributed on the rock gently, but nothing felt broken. She hardly had the strength to wonder why she was no longer in Sailor form. She suddenly felt very vulnerable as Haruka, something she wasn't very used to. 

Opening her eyes slightly, she realized she was in some sort of cavern. It was mostly dark, but there was also a reddish light. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a river of fire, perhaps lava, obviously the source of the light. 'Have we fallen into the center of the earth?' she wondered blearily. 

Her next thought pricked at her heart like a sharp pin. "Neptune?" She tried to raise her head. "Neptune!" Her voice grew in strength as panic surged through her, not knowing where her lover was. She gazed across the cavern, desperate to see Michiru's familiar form nearby. 

Haruka's eyes eventually fell upon something lying a good distance away, near the river of fire. The leaping flames made the figure look dark and twisted, but she knew what it was. She scrambled off the bolder and ran as fast as her sore legs could carry her. "Michiru!"

Michiru was out cold, one hand nearly dipping into the flames. Upon reaching her, Haruka snatched her up and pulled her as far away from the fire as possible. She realized in horror that some of Michiru's hair had singed away from being so close to the flames. "Damn them," Haruka muttered, trying to shake her lover awake. "Who did this?" She glared angrily around the cavern. "WHO ARE YOU?!" she screamed.

"Haruka?" Michiru groggily opened her eyes and weakly clutched Haruka's hand with her own. "Haruka, what happened? Why do I feel so achy?" 

Haruka checked her anger in favor of hugging Michiru. "Don't you remember how we fell into the earth? We didn't break anything, but we must have fallen hard. That's why you're sore. But I don't remember it happening. I was asleep."

Michiru used Haruka to brace herself as she pulled herself to her feet. "We don't have any time to spare. We must find Hotaru. But where are we?"

Haruka looked around. "The center of the earth?"

Michiru paused and squinted against the light coming from the river. "We're in Hell."

Haruka shuddered. "I wonder why?"

Michiru shook her head. "I don't know. Setsuna is not here."

'Why does she persist in believing we're going to find Setsuna?' Haruka wondered. 'Does she have so much faith?' She suddenly felt a loss so great at not having the same optimism as her love, that it made her nearly sick to her stomach. Why couldn't she just approach the situation and, like a small child would, have faith? The faith of a child was exactly what had brought them there. She took Michiru's hand. "No, Setsuna would not be here. Never. But perhaps Hotaru is."

Michiru raised her chin. "Then we must carry on."


	8. Eight

Hotaru had had her eyes closed, chin resting against her chest, still recovering from her fright with the dog. She heaved a sigh and debated pushing herself away from the wooden door at her back. She was starting to feel quite tired and a good bit hungry. "It must be nearly breakfast," she murmured. She could almost smell eggs frying in the kitchen, hear Michiru moving around. Setsuna would be coming into her room any minute and the two of them would prattle over the day's outfit and brush each other's hair until they heard Haruka stumble into the bathroom, grumbling – always a sign that it was nearly time for breakfast with their family. 

Hotaru bit her lip and gave a little nod. "I'd best move on." The faster she found Setsuna, the faster her vision would become a reality. She opened her eyes and gasped.

She was outside! The land was still vast, flat and barren, but there was an orange sky overhead, as if a giant sun had just set, lighting up the whole sky. She took a step forward and cried out. The door behind her had faded away as if it had never existed at all. No door, no rock wall, nothing but open air as far as the eye could see. The souls were all gone as well, off to wherever souls go when they die. Hotaru was alone again, but it was a peaceful feeling. She felt her hope renewed slightly.

She knelt down and opened the bookbag. As if by magic, the Garnet Orb floated out and hovered in front of her face. She gazed at it, a smile lighting up her pale face. "Are you going to help me now? Sibil-Sempai said you would."

The Orb flashed.

This was satisfactory to Hotaru. "If you lead, I'll follow. I think there's a path up ahead. Should we start there?" She pointed, as if the Garnet Orb were a living, breathing thing (although Hotaru was not so sure it wasn't). 

The Orb started to float along and Hotaru followed, skipping from time to time from excitement. Now they were getting somewhere! This place was already nicer than the dark cavern. "Suna can't be far away now!" 

~*~

Haruka and Michiru walked along, hand in hand, peering into the dark corners of the massive cavern they were walking through. Haruka had her sword in her hand at the ready, and Michiru clutched her mirror, hoping its energy would be an added deterrent. "You know, Ruka, it's times like this that makes me wish I had a sword too." 

Haruka smiled through her nerves. "Do you want to carry it for awhile?"

Michiru laughed despite herself. "Maybe later. My mirror is plenty powerful too, though, you know." She gave her lover a nudge.

"Sure it is…" teased Haruka. 

Michiru stomped her foot. "It is!" She broke into laughter.

Haruka suddenly brought down the Space Sword in front of them. "Shhh!" she commanded. A high-pitched laugh had joined Michiru's. 

Michiru froze. "What is it?"

Haruka kept one hand on Michiru's arm and moved around in a circle, always keeping Michiru pressed to her side. "Who's there!"

"Michiiiiruuuuu! Come play with meeeee!"

Michiru stopped clutching onto Haruka as she heard the high, singsong voice. "Hotaru…" she murmured.

Haruka moved her sword around in a jerky motion, panic settling hard in her chest. They were so vulnerable. She knew there was something she was supposed to do to bring on extra strength…something she and Michiru could become, but she couldn't remember what it was. She swore she knew five minutes ago…but now she couldn't remember. She did know that that voice was not their little girl. "Michiru…don't listen to that. It's not Hotaru."

"Michiiiiruuuuu!" A child's giggles filled the red cavern.

Michiru stared blankly into the distance. "Hotaru."

Haruka gritted her teeth. "Michiru, no!" The hand that held the sword trembled. She wished there was something to slash at, but nothing appeared. 

Michiru moved Haruka's hand from her arm with unnatural strength, strength that caused Haruka pain. Cradling her arm, she watched helplessly as Michiru walked, trancelike, ahead of her. "Who are you?" she whispered, confused, strangely defeated, and unable to see anything except for the person she loved walking away from her. 'Should I follow her?' she wondered. 'Could it really be Hotaru?'

Michiru suddenly broke into giggles and started to skip as a small child would, following something invisible. Haruka, still clutching her sword, followed behind, watching curiously. She couldn't seem to move her legs quickly, and though her brain told her to go and go _fast_, she followed slowly behind, watching Michiru in fascination. 

"Michiiiiruuuu! Follow meeeee!"

Michiru clapped her hands with glee. She was skipping through the park on a sunny day, following Hotaru, who was still a very small girl of about eight. She was so fast! Michiru just couldn't seem to keep up. Now Hotaru was climbing up the jungle gym so fast it made Michiru's head spin. She looked down to discover that she was just the same size as Hotaru and she, Michiru, was expected to follow. She laughed, holding her sides, and started to scramble up towards the sunshine, following the little dark-haired girl who beckoned in a singsong voice. 

Haruka stopped completely, too exhausted to continue. She could hardly keep her eyes open, and her head swam. She dropped to her knees and watched Michiru through bleary eyes. "Michi…come…back…not Hotaru…I love…you." Her mouth fell open and her eyes rolled with exhaustion, and she reached a hand out towards Michiru, who was climbing up a huge stalagmite. 

Michiru climbed and climbed, all the time following Hotaru who was still a good deal ahead of her. When she finally reached the top of the jungle gym, she laughed in triumph. "I made it!" she proclaimed and teetered unsteadily on her feet. She was frightened for a moment, but Hotaru's gleeful face reassured her. 

"I can fly, Michiiiiruuu. Can _you_ flyyyyyy?"

Haruka tried to keep her eyes open and she crawled weakly across the rocky ground. "Can't…fly…come…down…" She could vaguely see Michiru at the very top of the stalagmite, her arms spread apart, a look of exhilaration upon her face. 

Michiru watched as Hotaru jumped from the top of the jungle gym. She flew weightlessly through the air. "Come and tryyyy, Michiiiiruuuu!" 

Michiru laughed with delight and crouched to spring off.

Haruka's eyes opened wide and she yelled out. "NO!"

Michiru jumped.

Haruka screamed and covered her eyes. 

There was silence.

Haruka parted her fingers slightly and peered out from behind them. She immediately pressed her hands over her eyes as hard as she could, her teeth gritted so hard they ached. Michiru was impaled on a sharp rock that stuck up out of the ground. She was dead, blood dripping from her mouth. Her eyes were closed, but her lips held a smile. 

Haruka couldn't bear to look. She started to cry hysterically, wracked by helpless, rage filled sobs, rocking herself back and forth. She tore at her hair and her clothes, but she couldn't make the image disappear from her head. She and Michiru had faced death many times in the past, and had even been killed, but she had never faced life alone without Michiru. She had always been right behind her love, barely even given the time to think about what death meant. But when she saw her life, her Michiru, lying broken on the ground, her heart broke into a million shards. 

Grasping her Space Sword, her immediate thought was to kill herself. Then she would be with Michiru and Setsuna again, and the pain would stop. But she remembered Hotaru and realized she couldn't leave her here alone. Hotaru needed her. 

Haruka picked herself up and glanced at Michiru's body, but a flood of hot tears made her shut her eyes tightly. She couldn't bear to go near. She did reach down to pick up the Aqua Mirror from where it had fallen. It had a crack down the center, but Haruka's tear-stained face was still visible in the glass. "And to think I teased her about having a mirror for a Talisman," Haruka choked, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. She then turned her back on Michiru's body and continued her wandering through the cavern, head bent low and shoulders hunched in grief. 

********************************************************************************************

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Author's Note: Hi all! I hope you're enjoying the story so far! But poor Michiru! *sniffle* What will happen next?

I just wanted to drop you all a note to let you know that I now have an official notifylist specifically for fanfiction updates. You can join it by going to my drawing site link which can be found on my profile. Just click on my name up there at the top of the page. If you've joined my original notifylist, the one for my art updates, you may want to unsubscribe from that one if you're only interested in fanfiction updates. The fanfiction list will go out the night new chapters are posted, but the art list only goes out when there are new drawings on my site. Fanfiction is still to be included in it, but you have to wait a heck of a lot longer. So please feel free to join the fanfiction list if you want immediate fiction updates!


	9. Nine

Hotaru followed the Garnet Orb down the narrow path until she came to a fork in the road. The Orb stopped and floated as if indecisive, and Hotaru looked each way. "Oh, no! What do we do now?" 

To the left was more uneven ground, and a general darkness far in the distance. Hotaru shrunk back from that fork of the path. "I don't know if I want to go that way…it looks like a storm is brewing over there. The path is brighter to the right. I don't see why Setsuna would be down that dark path. I don't know why anyone would be there. It's dark and scary." She looked to the right. "There's a palace that way! Let's go there! They may know about Setsuna."

Hotaru took a step to the right, but just as she did a terrible pain stabbed her chest. Her eyes went wide and she looked to the left again. "Someone…has died." She clutched her chest with her hand. "Someone…important." She tried to control her panicked breathing. 

The Garnet Orb flashed frantically and started to drift to the right. Hotaru kept her eyes focused on the darkness to the left and didn't respond to the flashing of the talisman. "Who is it?" she whispered. She started to move down the rocky path, leaving the Orb behind, a sick feeling in her stomach that she couldn't quite explain. Soon she was running with all her might, one hand still covering her heart. "I must know who has died!"

A sudden wind sprang up and swirled around her, making her stop in her tracks. The voice of a child was suddenly all around her, in her head, pulling at her arms and legs, laughing with sick glee. "Hotaaaaruuu…come play with meeee!" 

Hotaru closed her eyes and threw her hands around above her head in a panic as if she were being attacked by an insect. "Go away!" she screamed. This spirit…it had killed someone. She knew it. But she had to get by. She had to find out who had died. She took to running again, her hair whipping painfully in the violent wind. 

The Garnet Orb appeared in front of her suddenly and violet light and energy exploded from it with the force of a small bomb. Hotaru screamed as the energy of the Orb blasted her off her feet and onto her back on the ground. Her head snapped back and she lay there for a moment, completely stunned and trying not to cry from the shock of it. 

When she did move again, the voice of the child was gone and the wind had ceased, apparently driven off by the Orb. All was still. Hotaru sat up and looked towards the darkness in the distance. "I don't think I'll go that way after all…" She stood and moved slowly back towards the right fork in the road. She was somewhat hurt that the Orb had thrown her and she was almost a bit angry at it, but it had succeeded in stopping her from taking what might have been a dangerous path. Still, she looked back once more before taking the right fork towards the palace. "Who has died? And why do I feel so empty?"

~*~

Haruka trudged along, Michiru's mirror clutched in her hand. Her Space Sword was put away – she just didn't care that much what happened to her. Despite her dedication to Hotaru, she rather wished something would just come and kill her and put her out of her misery. Every once in awhile she wiped tears from her eyes with a dirty hand. "This is all my fault," she muttered. "If I had only looked out for Setsuna more closely, she never would have died. We should never have left her at that Gate by herself. I should have known something was wrong. I should have gotten there faster. I should have at least been holding her when she died!" Haruka sucked back a dry sob. "If I had been faster, Hotaru never would have come looking for Setsuna by herself and then my Michiru –" She ground her fist against her eyes, completely unable to speak anymore. When she regained her control, she muttered, "Should have been faster…"

Haruka walked for what seemed like ages with nothing in sight but stalagmites and hot lava. The more she walked the more tired and crazy she felt. "Magic," she murmured. "There's heavy magic in the air. That's why I couldn't run to catch Michiru when she jumped. Magic to clog the senses. So tired." The air felt heavy and seemed to shimmer in front of her. She stopped and looked around frantically. She knew she had to find Hotaru and get back to the surface as fast as she could.

Haruka cupped her hand around her mouth and called out desperately. "Hotaru! Hotaru! Are you there?" 

Nothing. 

"Hotaru, please!"

A high pitched giggle splintered the silence. "Haruuuuka! Come play with meee!"

Haruka brandished the mirror like a weapon even though she couldn't use it. "DAMN YOU!" she screamed.

"I'm over heeere, Haruuuka. Come and find meee."

Haruka suddenly froze and looked in the direction of the voice. A tall, slender figure was perched on a rock, half hidden in shadow. The figure wore a long, white dress and swirling green-black hair curled around its legs. Haruka shook her head, wide eyed. "No…"

Setsuna beckoned with a graceful hand. "Haruuuka."

Haruka hesitated for a split second (did Setsuna always talk in that singsong voice?) before running towards her as fast as she could. Dropping the mirror for a moment, she clasped Setsuna's face between her hands and planted kisses on her cheeks and forehead. "God, Setsuna! You had us worried to death!" Haruka continued her assault of rare affection, finishing by kneeling in front of Setsuna, her hands on her friend's shoulders. "I'm so relieved to have you back!" 

Setsuna have an odd little giggle. Haruka didn't notice that the teeth that flashed were a bit yellowed. "I was lost, but you found meee! But why are you so saaad?" Setsuna offered a little smile, eyes narrowed.

Haruka lifted the mirror again. "Oh, it's so awful. I don't know how to tell you. Michiru has…died." Haruka's face crumpled in agony and she rested her face against Setsuna's lap. 

Setsuna laughed. "She's not dead. She's right over heeeere."

Haruka looked up at her in astonishment. "Where?" She frowned slightly. Setsuna's eyes were black.

Setsuna rose and moved fluidly through the cavern, over to a wide crevice in the floor. Once Haruka had joined her, she pointed. "Michiruuu is down there."

Haruka peered over the edge and quickly cried out. "Michiru!" 

She was suspended horizontally in mid air, her aquamarine tresses blowing lightly in the breeze. There was nothing below her but a pit so deep the bottom wasn't visible. She was still wearing her clothes from before, now with a tattered hole over her chest where she had been stabbed. "Hello, Lovvve," she sang. "Come down to meee." Blood bubbled from her mouth, but Haruka couldn't see.

"Michiru…" whispered Haruka. She closed her eyes.

Behind her, Setsuna laughed gleefully and shoved Haruka over the edge.

Haruka smiled as she fell, arms stretched open wide to grasp Michiru, but she hit nothing. Haruka's body sailed downwards until she disappeared into the depths. Setsuna clapped her hands together and the sides of the crevice slammed together sharply at her command. Haruka was no more.

And miles and miles away, a little dark-haired girl started to cry for no reason.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An Accompanying Illustration: 

(Please copy, paste, and take out the spaces)

www.angelfire.com / anime4 / setsuna_meioh / images / haruka_setsuna_elysianfields.jpg


	10. Ten

Hotaru still hadn't stopped crying when she reached the palace. She was growing tired and hungry and the task was becoming too much for her. "Oh Suna," she sniffled. "I'm starting to think that I may really never find you. I may not even get home again. Maybe I'm supposed to stay here forever. Maybe I'm dead too. What will Michi do when she finds out I'm dead? She and Ruka will be so lonely with the both of us gone!" This made the child break into more miserable tears. 

Hotaru reached the steps of the palace and gazed up at it. The splendor of the place made her tears momentarily cease. "Wow…I wonder who lives here? It's so beautiful!" she said breathlessly. 

The Garnet Orb, which had been floating silently at her side, drifted up the marble steps. Hotaru wiped her eyes and - with some hesitation - her nose, on her sleeve and followed the Orb. "At least I know I'm going the right way. Maybe I'm not as far off as I think. But I wish I had some kind of sign. Can you prove to me that you know what you're doing?" It wasn't that the girl had no faith in the talisman. It was just that it seemed to be taking so much more time than she had expected. "I may not be back in time for supper after all. Michi will be so worried!"

Hotaru headed down a long corridor made out of cool white marble. She imagined the moon kingdom must have looked a little something like it. "It's so serene. I almost expect to see Usagi come sweeping out from behind one of those doors." Hotaru paused in front of one of the many doors, almost willing her wish to come true. When it didn't happen, she trudged on. "It's a silly fantasy, anyway," she decided. "I'm just lonely."

The palace was huge, but Hotaru finally wandered into what appeared to be a dining room with a huge stone table, at least thirty feet long. The table was set for many people with golden plates and soft white napkins. Hotaru went to the table and longingly rubbed a hand over a plate. "If only it were full. I'm so hungry, and I haven't seen anyone in here yet."

She looked away for a moment, and when she turned back to the table she gasped. Food had magically appeared on the plate in front of her. There was Japanese Soba and several other favorite foods, and a goblet of tea to drink. And next to the plate was a lovely pomegranate. Hotaru ran her fingers over the fruit. "Persephone…" She had suddenly remembered the Greek myth about Persephone, queen of Hades, and how she had eaten pomegranate seeds and was made to stay in the underworld all winter. But in this case, Hotaru knew the pomegranate was not to eat, but bore a message. She instantly knew that she had the favor of the queen of the palace and the nourishment came from her. "Thank you," she whispered, bowing her head, and began to eat.

Later, after she had finished, she put the pomegranate in her bag to take with her and started up the steps to the second level of the palace. She still had not run into anyone, and she was growing more uneasy by the moment. She wasn't keen on meeting any more strangers, but at the same rate she was afraid of walking around the palace for the rest of her life.

The Garnet Orb had also been silent and docile, sometimes out in front of Hotaru, or next to her, or sometimes a bit behind. Hotaru was surprised when it finally seemed to move with a purpose. It led her down yet another hallway and stopped in front of a door. Hotaru gasped and her fingers flew to the surface of the door. Carved in the marble was the sign of Pluto. She traced the sign with her fingers, joy rising in her chest. "This is it! Setsuna must be behind this door! Oh, thank you! I could have never found this without your help!" She wrapped her arms lovingly around the Orb and then used all her weight to push open the door. She found herself in a pitch-black room. As the door swung shut again behind her, spotlights flashed on to focus on something in the middle of the room.

It wasn't exactly Setsuna herself, but it was close. It was a statue of Sailor Pluto, garbed in the eternal uniform, and bearing the Time Staff. The statue was illuminated only by the spotlights, and the rest of the room, as she had previously noted, was dark. It was enough to take the breath away.

Unable to stop herself, Hotaru ran to the statue and flung her arms around it. She pressed her cheek against the cold marble and held on as if the statue would come to life. And honestly, Hotaru wasn't so sure it wouldn't. She squeezed her eyes shut and held on tight, almost laughing. "I'm so close now! This is the sign I wanted. I'll find her for sure, now!"

Hit by a sudden fatigue, Hotaru slid down and curled up at the feet of the statue, never taking her arms from around it. Using her bookbag as a pillow, she fell asleep, her arms still encircling the stone boot of her idol.

~*~

After what felt like only minutes, Hotaru was pulled away from the statue by her arm. 

Groggy and disoriented, she tried to struggle. "Let me go!" She kicked her legs and flailed her fists for all she was worth, but the person pulling her was too strong for her. She was dragged off the base of the statue and through the darkness. Every once in awhile, she and her captor would walk under a bright spotlight like the ones shining on the statue and she saw that the person pulling her was most likely a man, but he wore a cloak and hood that covered his eyes. She noticed that his mouth seemed kind and calm, and this kept her from being too frightened.

But she was angry. She would have been content to stay there forever with the Pluto statue. It was like being ripped away from Setsuna all over again. Now she angrily tried to pull her arm from the hooded man's grasp. "Where are you taking me?" she demanded.

There was only silence from her captor. 

Hotaru was being pulled along so fast she had to run to keep up. She kept expecting her feet to leave the ground at any moment, rather like Alice being pulled by the Red Queen in _Through The Looking Glass_. She was so surprised when the man stopped abruptly that her feet kept moving forward and she was jerked backwards and almost lost her footing. Recovering, she pulled her arm away. "Let me go, please!" Turning around again, she gasped in surprise.

A huge set of double doors, previously invisible in the near-blackness, had swung open and violently bright sunlight now spilled through into the room. Dazzled, Hotaru winced and shielded her eyes, but they adjusted quickly. She could now see that a vast garden lay beyond the doors. Her anger spent, she turned to the silent man. "It's so beautiful!" she said. "What is it?"

"The Elysian Fields."

Hotaru swung around. The person who had spoken was not the man behind her, but another who had appeared between her and the doorway. He was little more than a towering silhouette due to the brilliant backlighting, but he seemed to be quite an old man with long hair and beard, and flowing robes. Hotaru wasn't sure what to think about him. She didn't feel instantly calm and safe as she had with the Sibyl, but she wasn't frightened either. What she did feel was reverence. She bowed slightly.

The old man folded his arms. "So you are the child who has come so boldly into the domain of Hades." 

"Yes, Sir." Hotaru bowed again. "My name is Hotaru Tomoe. I've come seeking Setsuna Meioh. She's been killed, but there has to be some mistake. She's Sailor Pluto, and we need her. I've come to bring her home. Her Garnet Orb and Sibyl-Sempai led me here." She tried to peer around the old man. "May I please search for her in that sunny garden behind you?"

The old man slowly shook his head. "Sailor Saturn. I know who you are. And I am Cronus, ruler of the Elysian Fields where the most extraordinary souls go to rest. But there are no mistakes. You may have made it this far and I have no doubt you are very brave for the underworld can be a frightening place, but I can not let you enter the Elysian Fields while you are yet living."

Hotaru suddenly felt as if her stomach had dropped into her feet. "But…"

"I will have my guards escort you back to the surface. You will not be harmed." He nodded towards the hooded man behind her, and others in the same garb who were filing into the light.

Angry tears stung Hotaru's eyes. "You don't understand!"

Cronus did not back down. "Sailor Pluto must stay with me, and you must return to the surface immediately. Your time has not come yet."

Hotaru's heart gave a leap. So Setsuna _was_ in the Elysian Fields. Cronus had said she was to stay with him. Hotaru bit her lip. "Very well. If I can't go in, I'll just have to go home. You lead and I'll follow along." She turned as if to go with the hooded guards, but as soon as they had turned to lead her into the darkness, she broke free and ran with all her might towards the sunny garden.

Cronus, surprised, held his arms out to catch her. "Stop, child!"

Without hesitation, Hotaru slid to her knees and skidded right under the legs of the old man. She was back on her feet in an instant and running pell-mell through the doorway into the Elysian Fields. 


	11. Eleven

**Part Eleven **

Once Hotaru was well into the garden, she stopped and looked around. There were vast fields of nothing but grass and flowers, and some small trees scattered here and there. There might have been forests in the distance, but here there were mostly rolling hills and plains where souls clad in white drifted. These souls seemed very different from the others she had encountered. They seemed solid, and very much as they must have looked in life. They were obviously at peace, and played together in the grass and splashed in the wide river that ran nearby. It was this river that Hotaru was drawn to.

By then, Cronus had caught up to the girl, and he stood nearby, watching somberly. "Please turn back, child of the stars. This will only end in pain for all."

Hotaru didn't look at him, but instead surveyed the river. The Garnet Orb was now moving steadily towards it, and Hotaru instinctively followed. Cronus did nothing, but bowed his head slightly.

Hotaru followed the orb. "What are we-?" She stopped dead in her tracks.

A figure was sitting by the river, her hands in her lap. She wore the same white dress as the other female souls and her hair was free flowing, and wafted slightly in the breeze. The Garnet Orb was drawn to her like a magnet, as was Hotaru.

"SETSUNA!" the little girl screamed, and took off at a run. Brimming with joy and tears, she threw herself at her idol and clung to her. "It's me, I've come! I've found you! We'll go home now and you won't have to be here by yourself ever again! Oh, Suna…" Hotaru couldn't decide whether to laugh or sob. Instead, she looked up into Setsuna's face. "Aren't you glad I'm here?" Hotaru suddenly frowned. "Suna?"

Setsuna just sat with a little half smile on her face. Her eyes were empty and she made no move to embrace Hotaru. She stared at nothing.

Hotaru, panicked, rose onto her knees so she could look into Setsuna's eyes. She found nothing there. "Suna, it's me! Don't you know me?"

Nothing.

Hotaru's face crumpled and her voice was nearly a scream. "It's me! It's your Hotaru! Answer me!" She started to shake Setsuna by her shoulders in frustration. "PLEASE!"

Setsuna's expression remained empty and she made no acknowledgment of Hotaru's pleas. Meanwhile, Hotaru, realizing she couldn't shake Setsuna out of the state she was in, crumpled against her and sobbed. "Why? What's wrong with her?" She lifted her head slightly when she felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked at the owner of the hand – Cronus. "What's wrong with her?" Hotaru asked again.

"She, like the other souls, have drunk from the river of forgetfulness. She is now in her own world and can no longer see or hear you. The only way she would ever awake again is if she drank from the river of memory," he gestured to a small stream across the large field that Hotaru had not yet noticed, "and she will never do that. She has not the desire, nor the means. She does not know it exists."

Hotaru screwed up her face and shook her head. "It's not fair."

"I am sorry," said Cronus. "But you will never wake her. It would be in good interest for you to leave now and head back to the surface where you belong."

Hotaru shook her head again, a defiant look on her face. "I won't! I won't leave her and there's nothing you can do to change my mind!"

Cronus backed away from Hotaru and shook his head sadly. "I hoped I would not have to show you this, but as you insist on being difficult, I shall have to."

Hotaru swallowed. "What do you mean?"

"You must understand that no one may leave the Underworld once they are dead. However, as I am the ruler of one of the branches of this domain, I am able to make one exception, and I would like to do that for you as you've been very brave."

Hotaru brightened. "Then-

"Wait! Choose carefully, for there is a choice to make. Behold, Saturn!" He made a gesture with his hand, and what appeared to be a glass box appeared on the riverbank. Hotaru let go of Setsuna and cried out.

Haruka and Michiru were encased in the box behind the glass. They didn't seem able to move and they were as pale as ghosts, but their eyes gazed sadly at Hotaru.

Hotaru ran at the glass and started to strike it with her fists. "Let them out!" she screamed.

"They are dead," Cronus said gravely. "They died searching for you."

"But why?" Hotaru's eyes filled with anguished tears and she helplessly pushed at the glass. "What did they do?"

"They entered the Underworld in their Sailor forms, when they should have approached as they were, as you did, as innocents and not as soldiers. They angered the spirits that dwell here, and were sent to Tartarus. There they were tormented and killed by an evil demon."

Hotaru, exhausted from pounding on the glass, collapsed in front of Setsuna and buried her face in her hands. "How can I choose?" she whispered. "How can I choose between my parents?"

"Hurry, child. The hour grows late. I can not keep the other two here for long. They will be sent back to Tartarus if you do not choose them."

Hotaru was horrified by this idea. "I won't let that happen." She slowly turned to look at Haruka and Michiru, who looked back at her helplessly. "It's my fault they died. They came looking for me. If we'd all come together, maybe they would still be alive. It's all my fault."

"Have you made your choice?" asked Cronus.

Hotaru looked at Setsuna once more through her tears, and then back at Haruka and Michiru. "Yes, I've made my choice. Please release Haruka and Michiru."

_Hello kids! As you can see, I've been working on this again, and I think I can finally finish it! Hope you enjoy the next couple of chapters! _

_Also, I recently did another cover drawing for this story. Here's the link (cut, paste, take out the spaces): www . angelfire . com / art2 / griddlebone / images / hotaruelysianfields.jpg . The quote is from an R.E.M. song that always makes me think of this story._


	12. Twelve

**Part Twelve **

The glass in front of Haruka and Michiru dissolved and the lovers fell out, clutching their throats as they gasped in air after not having the need to breathe for some time. Michiru stumbled towards Hotaru. "Sweetheart…"

Hotaru flung herself into Michiru's arms and held onto her as if someone were going to drag her away. "I'm sorry, Michi. I didn't mean to get us into so much trouble."

Michiru stroked Hotaru's dark hair. "It's all right. Everything will be fi-"

She had just spotted Setsuna across the way. "Oh…Haruka…" she breathed.

Haruka, finally catching her breath, glanced up. "Oh…" She was silent, speechless.

Michiru, her eyes shining, stood up, clutching Hotaru protectively to her side. "You found her. We can take her home now." She smiled brilliantly at Haruka through her tears. "Hotaru found her! We can all go home now!"

Hotaru answered, her voice choked. "We can't. He won't let Suna go." She gave Cronus a rare spiteful look. "Besides, he let her drink from a river that made her forget us. She doesn't know me anymore."

Ignoring Cronus, Michiru finally released Hotaru and moved towards Setsuna. "Suna?" She knelt down in front of Setsuna and tried to lift her chin. "Suna, listen to me! It's Michiru. Please speak to me!" She put her hands on Setsuna's cheeks and tilted her head to look into her eyes. Michiru drew in her breath sharply and looked back at Haruka. "There's nothing in her eyes! Not a thing!"

Haruka looked at Cronus angrily. "What gives you the right to decide who lives or dies?" she demanded. "You have many souls here. What difference does one young woman make to you?"

Cronus, who towered over Haruka by several feet, glared down at her. "It is my domain to rule over. You, who are trespassing and have already been punished for it, have no right to question my judgment! Be silent or I will see you sent back to Tartarus."

"Does our love for her mean nothing?" cried Michiru.

Hotaru, who had moved to Setsuna and was holding her limp hand, glared angrily at the god. "If you were kind you would get her a glass of water from that other river over there! The one with her memories in it!"

Haruka started. "That river over there?"

"Silence!" commanded Cronus.

"Haruka!" Michiru widened her eyes at her lover. "Haruka, GO!"

Without hesitating, Haruka charged past Cronus.

"STOP!" hollered the god.

With a cry of blind rage, Michiru threw herself at Cronus, followed closely by Hotaru. The force of Michiru's body hitting Cronus's caused him to stumble just long enough to lose his concentration. Before he knew it, he had Michiru on one arm and Hotaru on the other, hindering his movements. He didn't seem able to move when the girls were touching him, as if being touched by mortals was a weakness.

In moments, Haruka had Setsuna hoisted into her arms and was running through the field. Although Cronus was immediately detained, the Elysian Fields itself fought to keep Setsuna within it. The harmless looking flowers suddenly seemed to come alive, their stems grabbing at Haruka's ankles, thorns making long scratches in her skin. Haruka gave a cry of fear, but anger boiled beneath it. She held onto Setsuna even as she went sprawling. Grunting angrily, she kicked free from the binding plants and tore them from Setsuna's arms and legs where they had grabbed hold. "You will _not_ take her!" Haruka yelled, hauling herself to her feet and hoisting Setsuna's dead weight into her arms again.

"STOP!" Cronus repeated, throwing Michiru from him violently. Relentlessly, nearly deranged, she rose and threw herself at the angry god once again, clawing and biting.

Haruka, upon reaching the edge of the river of memory, wasted no time. Using the last of her desperate strength, she threw Setsuna into the water. Splashing in after her, she seized Setsuna's head and forced her mouth open. Water flowed in and Setsuna gulped.

Across the way, Michiru finally let go of Cronus and, ignoring him, ran towards Haruka, Hotaru on her heels.

Haruka pulled the spluttering Setsuna from the river and used the hem of her shirt to wipe water from her friend's eyes. Setsuna seemed disoriented and confused, groping blindly, terror livid on her face. She seemed unable to see Haruka very well; her eyes weren't quite normal. "Uranus!" she cried, clutching at the air.

It became apparent to Haruka that her name was the last thing Setsuna had screamed before she died. Setsuna had needed her love and strength and she hadn't been there, hadn't believed anything was wrong until it was far too late. Tears came to her eyes and she vowed that she wouldn't fail her friend ever again. "I'm here!"

Setsuna said nothing, but once she found the fabric of Haruka's shirt, she clutched it tightly with both fists.

Michiru was on them in seconds and wrapped her arms around them both. "Let's get her out of here."

"You will not take her anywhere!" Cronus towered over the three of them, a violent fire blazing in his eyes. "Pluto belongs to me!"

The three gazed up at him, breathing hard from expenditure of energy and fear.

Cronus raised his arms. "If you will not leave on your own, I will show you what it means to be wrathful!" His voice was terrible.

Hotaru suddenly leapt in front of her guardians, brandishing her glaive. "Please stop!"

Cronus hesitated. "Stand aside, Saturn."

Hotaru pointed the glaive sharply at the god. "Why are you so selfish?" she demanded. Then, softening her voice, she repeated the question. "Why do you have to be so selfish? Why do you hate us so much? We love her."

Cronus's expression softened. "I don't think you understand, little one. I love her too. Pluto is my daughter."

"No!" Haruka glared.

"You lie!" cried Michiru, holding Setsuna tighter. "You just want to cause pain!"

Setsuna rose shakily to her feet, using Haruka's shoulders to brace herself. "Are…you really my father?" she asked, taking a tottering step towards him.

"No!" cried Michiru, refusing to release her hold on Setsuna's arm. "Setsuna…"

Setsuna turned and smiled.

Michiru shook her head. "Please…don't go with him. Come with us."

Setsuna leaned over and after using her hands to find Michiru's face, she kissed her softly on the cheek. "Everything will be fine." She smiled and walked towards Cronus, trance-like. Michiru's mouth opened in a silent plea as the folds of Setsuna's dress slipped through her fingers.

"Wait," Haruka said gently, wrapping an arm around Michiru and then pulling Hotaru close. "Let her talk." The three knelt in the grass, watching Setsuna, waiting.

Setsuna walked to the god and put her small hands in his. "I knew that I had the blood of Cronus in my veins, but I never imagined…"

"Shh," Cronus said gently. "I am sorry that you couldn't know and that I couldn't visit you as a child. But I have always watched over you and no father was ever prouder of his daughter." He squeezed her hands. "But now that you are here with me, things will be different. You will be given anything you wish. You will be at peace here. And I can be a proper father to you."

Setsuna smiled, and raised her head slightly. "I am honored and I would very much like to stay here with you…"

Hotaru whimpered in despair and Michiru closed her eyes tight and lowered her head. Haruka alone looked on calmly but tightened her grip on her lover and child.

Setsuna closed her eyes. "…But you have to let me go. I have to go back home. Hotaru is my daughter. And Haruka and Michiru are my sisters. They need me…and I need them."

Cronus bowed his head. "Daughter…"

"But…!" Setsuna exclaimed, holding the god's hands tighter, "I will make you a promise to come and visit for a week out of each month, if that would be permitted."

Hotaru made a face as if that time period was entirely too long, but Haruka nodded slowly. Hotaru looked back at Setsuna and managed a smile. She needed to be generous. After all, Cronus was really her grandfather of sorts. "Yes," she said. "Yes, you must visit him." She smiled, and Cronus smiled back with a nod. And she thought she heard a voice in her head, the Sibyl's, saying, "_You have been very brave, child of the stars, and gracious. And for that, you will have your mother back_."

"Saturn, do you still have the pomegranate of Persephone?"

"Yes." Hotaru dug around in her bag until she drew out the ripe fruit.

Cronus took it from her. "Daughter, will you eat from the pomegranate as a sign of your promise?"

The others stiffened. In myth, when Persephone had eaten the pomegranate seeds, she had been forced to come back for three _months_ at a time. Hotaru didn't quite think she could stand that.

But Setsuna was not being forced. She wanted to come back if it would ease the father's loneliness – and perhaps some of her own. "I will eat."

When it was done, Cronus swept Setsuna into a hug. "Go in peace until we meet again, Daughter. I trust your Garnet Orb will know how to find me."

Setsuna kissed his cheek. "Go in peace, Father. And thank you."

Haruka helped Michiru to rise and then lifted Hotaru to her feet as well. "And we may take her home now?"

Cronus became serious. "In the future, Pluto will have the ability to travel here and back with the use of the Orb, but she is not yet living."

A chill ran down Hotaru's spine. It was true – Setsuna's eyes were still oddly empty, even with the return of her memories and emotions, and she was deathly pale.

Cronus continued. "Because of this, she must walk. Child of the stars…have you studied the story of Orpheus and his wife?"

Hotaru liked Greek myths and thought that perhaps she had. "Orpheus found his wife in the Underworld after she had died," she said slowly, trying to remember her school lessons. "She…was allowed to follow him out, but something bad happened. It was so sad."

"He looked back," Michiru murmured.

Haruka nodded. "Then we mustn't look back." Haruka took Setsuna's hand and tried to catch her attention, but she seemed to be slipping back into silence. "Setsuna, love, you have to follow us out of the Underworld. We can't look back at you or touch you, but please…follow us?" Haruka looked at Cronus uneasily.

"The power of the Underworld is strong," Cronus explained. "She is starting once again to fade. But she will follow you, if her love for you is true."

Haruka nodded. "Right." She reluctantly let go of Setsuna's hand. "Let's go."

The Garnet Orb drifted ahead of them, and the three started to follow it. Hotaru walked along between Haruka and Michiru, but she found it very hard not to turn her head. Subconsciously, her chin tilted towards her shoulder, but Haruka put a hand on her head. "I know it's hard, but we just have to walk…and trust."

Michiru smiled at her lover and squeezed her hand. "Setsuna will follow us. I know she will."


End file.
